The movie never reveals what part of the world Mohammed has been taken to. But the coordinates given by a helicopter crew, 53 39 N 25 33 E, is located in a heavily wooded area of northwest Belarus.
There is essentially no dialog in this movie, unless you count commanders shouting perfunctory orders in the field. All other speaking is muffled, squelched by louder noises, or otherwise part of indistinct background activities.
Vincent Gallo's role demanded him to do things like walk barefoot on the snow with the temperature reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius.
Jerzy Skolimowski had heard rumors that the secret military Szymany Airport in Poland had been used for rendition purposes. Driving nearby on a snowy night, he skidded off the road and it was then that the idea occurred to him that similar circumstances could have led to a prisoner escape.